Multipurpose horizontal press having a fixed workpiece-holder for a tubular workpiece to be drawn or tapered

ABSTRACT

A multipurpose horizontal press having a fixed workpiece-holder for a tubular workpiece to be drawn or tapered comprising a press body ( 1 ) surmounted by a worktable ( 2 ), having a superior surface ( 3 ) and an inferior surface ( 4 ), on the worktable ( 2 ) being positioned horizontally an operating hydraulic cylinder and, in correspondence with a through opening ( 70 ), a bridge ( 8 ) to which inferiorly a superior jaw ( 12 ) having its concavity facing downward, is rigidly connected. Opposite to the bridge ( 8 ) a support element ( 13 ) extends under the inferior surface ( 4 ) and supports a clamping hydraulic cylinder ( 14 ), having a rod ( 15 ) facing upward and provided with an inferior jaw ( 16 ), being sledge vertically inside said bridge ( 8 ) toward the superior jaw ( 12 ) and away from it.

[0001] This invention relates to a multipurpose horizontal press havinga fixed workpiece-holder for a tubular workpiece to be drawn or tapered.

[0002] The present multipurpose horizontal presses are provided with ahydraulic operating cylinder that is located horizontally on theworktable. The hydraulic operating cylinder is interlocked to a N/Cunit. The rod of the hydraulic operating cylinder has at its end a workhead on which the movable part of a die used in each single machiningoperation is fixed. The correspondent fixed part of the die is locked onthe worktable, in which holes acting as seat for such a fixed part ofthe die are suitably made.

[0003] The present horizontal presses allow many deformation works suchas pressing, bending, punching, shearing and further drawing andtapering. In the present multipurpose horizontal presses the fixedworkpiece-holder is provided permanently with a result that the last oneoccupies uselessly space on the worktable that can be used for otheroperations when drawing or tapering must be performed.

[0004] Some horizontal presses have workpiece-holders for drawing andtapering completely removable from the press. However this implieslonger machining times than with a permanent workpiece-holder.

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks resultingfrom the above mentioned need of locating a workpiece-holder for drawingand tapering on a worktable of a multipurpose press.

[0006] In particular, an object of the present invention is to avoid thedrawback of a permanent presence of a workpiece-holder for drawing andtapering on a worktable.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to avoid the need of acomplete removal of a workpiece-holder for drawing and tapering whenthis kind of machining is not required.

[0008] A further object of the invention is to reduce the machiningtimes of drawing and tapering and to make easier the use of thehorizontal press.

[0009] The present invention provides a multipurpose horizontal presshaving a fixed workpiece-holder for a tubular workpiece to be drawn ortapered comprising a press body surmounted by a worktable, having asuperior surface and an inferior opposite surface, on the worktablebeing positioned horizontally an operating hydraulic cylinder with a rodhaving a work head which is pre-set for the mounting of a movable partof dies designed to co-operate with a fixed part of the same dies thatis locked in holes made in the worktable, in a deformation work ofmaterial put between said fixed part and said movable part,characterized in that the horizontal press comprises in correspondencewith a worktable through opening made in front of the work head oppositeto the rod of the operating cylinder:

[0010] a bridge extending over the superior surface of the worktable bymeans of a pair of uprights connected by a cross member to whichinferiorly a superior jaw having its concavity facing downward, isrigidly connected;

[0011] a support element extending under the inferior surface of theworktable opposite to the bridge;

[0012] a clamping hydraulic cylinder, supported by the support elementand having a rod facing upward and provided with an inferior jaw, havingits concavity facing upward, being sliding vertically inside said bridgetoward said superior jaw and away from it.

[0013] The invention will now be described with reference to a preferredembodiment thereof, although it must be understood that modificationscan be made without departing from the spirit of the invention andreferring to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a multipurpose horizontal presshaving a workpiece-holder assembled according to the invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the horizontal press of FIG. 1having the workpiece-holder that is disassembled;

[0016]FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross section of the horizontal pressof FIG. 1;

[0017]FIG. 4 shows in an enlarged fragmentary perspective view alongitudinal cross section of the horizontal press of FIG. 1; and

[0018]FIG. 5 shows in an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectioned front viewan embodiment of the workpiece-holder according to the invention.

[0019] Referring to the drawing, a horizontal press according to theinvention is generally shown in FIG. 1. A body of the press, that issurmounted by a worktable 2, is designed as 1.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the worktable 2 has a superior surface 3 andan opposed inferior surface 4.

[0021] An operating hydraulic cylinder whose rod 5 holding a work head 6is positioned horizontally on the worktable 2. Generally the movablepart of forming dies such as for pressing, bending, punching andshearing operations is connected to the work head 6. This movable partof the dies is designed to co-operate with a fixed part of the samedies, the last one being locked in holes made on the worktable such asthose that are generally indicated as 7 in the figures. Both the movableand fixed parts of the forming dies are not shown in figures.

[0022] A workpiece to be subjected to a deformation work is put betweenthe movable part and the fixed part on the horizontal press.

[0023] According to the invention, in addition to the holes well knownto the prior art, a through opening 70 that is better shown in FIGS. 2and 4 is performed in the worktable 2.

[0024] The through opening 70 is made in worktable 2 in front of thework head 6 in the opposite side with respect the rod 5 of the operatingcylinder.

[0025] A bridge 8 extending over the superior surface 3 of the worktable2 is made in correspondence with the opening 70 in the worktable 2.

[0026] As shown in particular in FIG. 1, the bridge 8 is made of a pairof uprights 9 and 10 connected by a cross member 11. The uprights 9, 10are connected by screws to the worktable in not shown but conventionallymanner. The cross member 11, in turn, is fixed on the uprights, as shownin FIGS. 1 and 4 or alternatively is made integral with them.

[0027] The cross member 11 has in its inferior side a jaw 12 facingdownward with its concavity.

[0028] A support element generally designed as 13 is fixed under theworktable 2, opposite to the bridge 8.

[0029] The support element 13 supports a hydraulic cylinder 14 clampingthe present workpiece-holder. The clamping hydraulic cylinder 14 has itsrod 15 extending upward. The rod 15 in its free end has an inferior jaw16 that is a mirror image of the superior jaw 12, i.e. having its aconcavity facing upward.

[0030] By virtue of a preferably releasable connection of the inferiorjaw 16 with the rod 15 of the clamping hydraulic cylinder 14, theinferior jaw 16 can slide vertically toward the superior jaw 12 and awayfrom it. The vertical reciprocating motion of the inferior jaw 16 isassured by prismatic guides as shown by a projection 17 and a slidingrecess designated as 18 in FIG. 4, that is correspondingly sized andshaped to the projection 17.

[0031] The inferior jaw 16 has usually a semicylindrical concavity withthe same radius of the superior jaw 12, in order to clamp a tubularworkpiece P to be drawn or tapered by a matrix indicated as 19, that isassembled for this operation onto the work head 6, as shown in FIGS. 1and 3.

[0032] As better shown in FIG. 3, the clamping hydraulic cylinder 14 isdriven through feed/discharge conducts 20, 21 that are connected to ahydraulic unit 22, to drive a hydraulic motor 23. There is a controlboard 24 of a N/C unit 25, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0033] When any drawing or tapering operation is not performed by themultipurpose horizontal press, in order to use as far as possible theworktable, the bridge 8 is disassembled. Plates covering the throughopening 70, such as those designed as 26 in FIG. 2 for example, can beapplied onto the worktable. The inferior jaw 16 can remain connected tothe rod 15 of the clamping hydraulic cylinder. Alternatively it can bedisassembled therefrom.

[0034] The bridge 8 can be used with jaws having different sizes andradius. In the operation of the clamping hydraulic cylinder 14 thethrust from the operating cylinder through its rod 5 can be taken up bythe uprights 9 and 10 of the bridge 8.

[0035] As above mentioned, the uprights 9 and 10 and the cross member 11can be integral.

[0036] In FIG. 5 in which parts corresponding to those in the otherfigures are indicated with like ore similar reference numbers anembodiment of bridge 80, which is connected to worktable 2 by releasablecoupling means in particular threaded coupling means, is shown.

[0037] A bridge 80 extending over the opening 70 in the worktable 2 ismade of a pair of uprights 90 and 100 connected by a cross member 110.Blocks 120, 121 connected by screws to the worktable 2 such as the onedesigned as 122, are joint laterally by welding to the uprights 90, 100.The cross member 110 is fixed on the uprights by screws, such as the onedesigned as 123.

[0038] The cross member 110 has a jaw 124 facing downward with itsconcavity that is connected e.g. through a hexagonal-head socket screw125.

[0039] A support element generally designed as 130, that is connectedlikely by screws to the worktable 2, is fixed under the worktable 2,opposite to the bridge 80.

[0040] The support element 130 supports a hydraulic cylinder 140clamping the present workpiece-holder. The rod 150 of the clampinghydraulic cylinder 140 has an inferior jaw 160. The verticalreciprocating motion of the inferior jaw 160 is assured by prismaticguides constituted by opposite projections 170 and a sliding recesses180.

[0041] The horizontal thrust applied by the operating cylinder duringthe drawing or tapering operation that is not used to deform theworkpiece, is discharged on the prismatic guides 170-180.

1. Multipurpose horizontal press having a fixed workpiece-holder for atubular workpiece to be drawn or tapered comprising a press body (1)surmounted by a worktable (2), having a superior surface (3) and aninferior opposite surface (4), on the worktable (2) being positionedhorizontally an operating hydraulic cylinder with a rod (5) having awork head (6) which is pre-set for the mounting of a movable part ofdies designed to co-operate with a fixed part of the same dies that islocked in holes (7) made in the worktable (2), in a deformation work ofmaterial put between said fixed part and said movable part,characterized in that the horizontal press comprises in correspondencewith a worktable through opening (70) made in front of the work head (6)opposite to the rod (5) of the operating cylinder: a bridge (8)extending over the superior surface (3) of the worktable (2) by means ofa pair of uprights (9, 10) connected by a cross member (11) to whichinferiorly a superior jaw (12) having its concavity facing downward, isrigidly connected; a support element (13) extending under the inferiorsurface (4) of the worktable (2) opposite to the bridge (8); a clampinghydraulic cylinder (14), supported by the support element (13) andhaving a rod (15) facing upward and provided with an inferior jaw (16),having its concavity facing upward, being sliding vertically inside saidbridge (8) toward said superior jaw (12) and away from it. 2.Multipurpose horizontal press according to claim 1, characterized inthat said bridge (8) is connected to the worktable (2) by releasablecoupling means.
 3. Multipurpose horizontal press according to claim 2,characterized in that said releasable coupling means are threadedcoupling means.